Wrapping machine for bars and the like



Dec. 26, 1961 o. D. WOOD 3,01

WRAPPING MACHINE FOR BARS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 21, 1959. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W glfi/M ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 26, 1961 o. D. WOOD WRAPPING MACHINE FOR BARS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 21, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A7'7 'O/PNE)/5.

o. D. WOOD 3,014,572

WRAPPING MACHINE FOR BARS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 26, 1961 Filed Sept. 21, 1959 60 j d "III/l2 'IIA'LIII/ I@\\\ -w -g.

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3,914,512 Patented Dec. 2%, lhfil 3,014,572 WRAPPING MACHlNE FOR BARS AND THE LIKE Otha D. Wood, Anderson, Ind, assignor to Lynch Corporation, a corporation of lndiana Filed Sept. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 841,217 10 Claims. (Cl. 198-26) This invention relates to a wrapping machine and has to do particularly with the means for removing candy bars or the like from a conveyor and positioning them one at a time over an elevator for elevating the bars through a folding way of a wrapping machine, in which folding way they are Wrapped in a suitable wrapper.

One object of the invention is to provide a vibratory conveyor sloping at but a slight angle, combined with a pair of pushers that sequentially separate a bar from a series of bars and move it to the wrapping position.

Another object is to provide a double stop arrangement cooperating with the pushers to effect the separation of one bar from the series of bars and hold the series from forward motion that would interfere with the pushing of the first bar into wrapping position.

A further object is to provide a first pusher that reciprocates horizontally and a second pusher that moves the bar horizontally and then depresses to clear the first pusher and the next bar to be pushed by the second pusher into wrapping position.

Still a further object is to provide means for horizontally reciprocating the first pusher, and means for both horizontally and vertically reciprocating the second pusher, said last means also eifecting vertical reciprocation of holdback stop for the bars in the conveyor.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my wrapping machine, whereby the objects above contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in detail on the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of my wrapping machine for bars and the like with portions broken away to show constructional features and details of the operating mechanism;

. FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the operating mechanism in the right half of FIG. 1; and

7 FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are a series of similar vertical sectional views at the same scale as FIG. 2, as taken approximately on the line 33 thereof and illustrating different positions of the parts during operation of the mechanism.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral to indicate in general the frame of my wrapping machine, 12 supporting legs therefor, and 14 casters secured to the legs 12 to facilitate transport of the machine from one position to another. During operation of the machine, set screws 16 may be brought into contact with the floor to prevent undesirable movement of the machine relative thereto.

I provide a product conveyor 18 comprising a pair of supporting bars having side guide rods 20 supported on the conveyor 18 by means of supporting rods 21. Hold-down rods 22 are suspended above the conveyor 18, being mounted on supporting rods 24 provided with feet 26 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 which are suitably secured to the frame lltl so that the hold-down rods 22 are stationary relative thereto.

At the right-hand end in FIG. 1 the product conveyor 18 is supported by a leaf spring arm 28 provided with an armature 30. A vibrator coil 32 has a field core 34 mounted on a supporting arm 36 so that when alternating current is supplied to the coil 32 the armature 3d, and thereby the spring arm 28 and product conveyor 18, will vibrate for the purpose of effectively advancing products, such as candy bars or the like B shown in FIG. 3, along the conveyor in the downgrade direction. The forward end of the conveyor 18 is supported by one of the rods 21 (the left-hand rod in FIGS. 2 and 3) resting on a first pusher 38. I have found that a slight incline to the conveyor 18 and vibratory feed of the character described is particularly suitable for an individual bar push-off mechanism constituting the present invention, and Works more citiciently than if the bars are fed by gravity.

The bars B are vibrated off the product conveyor 18 and onto a pair of supporting rods 4% as shown in FIG. 3, whereupon the pusher 38 is elevated, and elevates the conveyor 18 as shown in FIG. 4, and the pusher 38 then moves to the left for pushing the bar indicated at B in FIGS. 3 and 4 from the supporting rods it? onto another pair of supporting rods 42 and between side guide rods 44. The rods 42 and 44 are in turn stationarily supported by supporting rods 46 and 48 respectively.

In FIG. 5 the bar B is ready to be engaged by a second pusher 4 when the first pusher 38 is withdrawn as to the position shown in FIG. 3, and the completion of the pushing operation is accomplished by the pusher 54 as illustrated in FIG. 3, the bar at that time being in the position B over an elevator 5t and adiacent a stationary stop plate 52. FIG. 4 illustrates the elevator 5i) elevating the bar B, and such elevation takes place through a folding way (no-t shown) that partially wraps wrappers 56 fed from reels 58 around the bar in the manner shown in Sandberg Patents Nos. 2,208,776 of July 23, 1940, and 2,283,097 of May 12, 1942.

A stop 6t) is shown in FIG. 3 for the bar B, and a stop 62 is also provided, the latter for the row of bars B on the conveyor 18 as shown in FIG. 4. The stop 60 is mounted on the conveyor 18 by being welded to the left-hand ends of the hold-down rods 22. thereof. The stop 62 is mounted on a rod 63 having its ends adjustably secured to supporting rods 85 extending upwardly from a somewhat heavier rod 87, the mounting of which will be explained later. The stop 64) consists of two elements as shown in FIG. 2.

Describing now the mechanism for operating the first and second pushers 38 and 54, and the stop 62, the first pusher 38 is provided with a boss 64 as shown in FIG. 3 from which a rod 66 extends to the right and is secured to an arm 68 which is slidable on a pair of stationary guide rods 70 suitably supported on the frame 10 (not shown). The arm 68 is reciprocated on the rods 70 by a link 72 pivoted to a rock arm 74 on a rock shaft 76.

The second pusher 54 also consists of two elements which are mounted on a supporting rod 78. The rod 78 is supported by a bracket 80 secured to a pair of horizontal slide rods 82 below the rods 70. The slide rods 82 slide in bearings 83 of a slide block 84 and the slide block in turn slides on a pair of vertical guide rods 86. The guide rods 86 are provided with feet 88 (see FIG.

1) mounted on the frame 10 of the machine and are.

thus stationary relative to the frame.

The slide block 84 is reciprocated vertically by a roller 90 thereof riding a cam 92 on a cam shaft 94 as shown in FIG. 3, the slide block being biased downwardly by a pair of springs 96 as shown in FIG. 1 for keeping the roller 90 in contact with the cam 92.

The horizontal slide rods 82 at their right-hand ends (see FIG. 2) are provided with a cross bar 98 to which one end of a link 100 is pivoted, the other end thereof being pivoted to a rock arm 102 on a rock shaft 104. The rock shaft 104 has a gear 106 thereon meshing with a rack 108, and a second gear 116] meshes with the gear 106 and is secured to the rock shaft 76.

a The rack 108 is mounted on a slide block 114 as shown in FIG. 1 which slides on a pair of stationary guide rods 116. A roller 118 is mounted on the slide block 114 and contacts a cam 120 on a cam shaft 122.

a a A pair of springs 112 serve to keep the roller 118 in contact with the cam 120.

The cam shafts 122 and 34 are driven by a pair of chains 124 and 126 from a suitable gear reducer 128 (see FIG. 1). The gear reducer is driven by a belt 130 from a motor 132. The elevator 50 is mounted on a vertically reciprocable elevator rod 134 which is actuated by an arm 136 on a rock shaft 137, and suitable mechanism 138 rocks the shaft. The mechanism 138, however, forms no part of my present invention and therefore will not be described in detail.

Practical operation In the operation of my wrapping machine, the bars B are placed on the conveyor 18 and the coil 32 is ener gized with alternating electric current for imparting vibrations to the conveyor whereupon the bars will slowly "walk down the conveyor until they engage, and are stopped by, the stop 62 as in FIG. 5. The lower right corner of the stop plate 62 is indicated by a black dot n in this figure, and this corner reciprocates vertically between the dot n and another dot in during one cycle of operation of the machine. Similarly, the pusher 38 (see FIG. 3) reciprocates horizontally between dots a and b. The upper end of the second pusher 54 travels in a parallelogram path indicated by dots d, e, f and g.

When the stop 62 moves up to position in as in FIG. 3 the foremost bar indicated B is vibrated off the conveyor 18 and onto the supporting rods 40 as shown and against the stop 60. The slide block 84 then lowers as in FIG. 4 to bring the bar B below the stop 60 and in front of the first pusher 38 which thereupon pushes the bar to the left (being at position c in FIG. 4) while the second pusher 54 has moved from d to e. In its movement from d to e the second pusher has moved downwardly out of the way of the bar B so that this bar can be brought forward to the position shown in FIG. 5 (pusher 54 at a) and the second pusher 38 has moved from e to f (the position B" shown in FIG. 3).

The second pusher 54 has moved in FIG. 5 to the 1 position, and is then elevated to the g position, and finally moves forwardly to the e position shown in FIG. 3 for moving the next bar B' to the B position. The elevator 50 then lifts the bar B" as in FIG. 4 against a wrapper (not shown) and through a folding way for wrapping the bar in substantially the same manner as disclosed in the Sandberg patents above referred to. Between the FIG. 5 position and the FIG. 3 position, the stop 62 elevates from n to m and the cycle is restarted.

I have found that a combination of vibratory conveyor 18, stop 60 carried thereby, and first and second pushers 38 and 54 moved in the paths indicated and stop 62 carried by pusher 38 is very effective in efficiently conveying candy bars and the like one at a time into position over the elevator 50, the slant of the conveyor 18 in relation to the rods 40 opening a crack between the first two bars (B and the bar B following it in FIGS. 3 and 4) to permit engagement of the first pusher 38 with the bar (B' in FIG. 4) when the stop plate 62 is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 4 to hold back the remaining bars on the conveyor.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my wrapping machine for bars and the like without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may reasonably be included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wrapping machine of the character disclosed, a sloping vibratory conveyor for a plurality of bars or the like and means for transferring said bars one at a time from said conveyor to means for wrapping the bar comprising a first support for the foremost bar as it leaves the lower end of said vibratory conveyor, a stop above said foremost bar, a single means for simultaneously moving said first support and said stop downwardly whereby said stop holds back the series of bars behind said foremost bar on said first support, a second support, a horizontally reciprocable first pusher for pushing said bar from said first support onto said second support, a second pusher for pushing said bar from said second support into wrapping mechanism of a wrapping machine, said second pusher thereupon moving down wardly below said second support and rearwardly whereupon said first pusher moves another bar from said first support onto said second support and said second pusher is then moved upwardly and behind said second bar and then forwardly to push the same into the wrapping mechanism.

2. A wrapping machine comprising a vibratory con veyor sloping slightly from level position and adapted for a plurality of bars or the like and means for transferring said bars one at a time from said conveyor to means for wrapping the bar comprising a substantially level first support for the foremost bar as it leaves said conveyor, 21 pair of stops one in front of the bars on said conveyor and the other above said foremost bar, means for moving said first support and said other stop downwardly whereby said other stop retains the series of bars on said conveyor behind the one on said first support, a second support, a horizontally reciprocable first pusher for push ing said bar from said support onto said second support, a second pusher for pushing said bar from said second support onto an elevator or the like, said second pusher thereupon moving downwardly to clear said foremost bar and rearwardly whereupon said first pusher moves another bar from said first support onto said second support, and said second pusher then moves upwardly and behind said second bar, and forwardly to push the same onto said elevator.

3. In a wrapping machine, a first pusher horizontally reciprocable, a conveyor for delivering bars one at a time to said first pusher, a first support along which said first pusher moves the bars, a second support onto which said first pusher moves the bars, a second pusher movable upwardly behind the bar on said second support, then horizontally to move it along said second support, then downwardly to clear the next bar moved onto said second support by said first pusher, and then rearwardly to its initial position, and means vertically reciprocable to hold back the remaining bars on said conveyor after the first one is moved onto said first support.

4. In a wrapping machine of the character disclosed, a first pusher horizontally reciprocable, a conveyor for delivering bars one at a time to said first pusher, a first support along which said first pusher moves a bar, a second support onto which said first pusher moves the bar, and a second pusher movable upwardly behind the bar, then horizontally to move it along said second support, and then downwardly to clear the next bar moved onto said second support by said first pusher.

5. In a wrapping machine of the character disclosed, a first pusher horizontally reciprocable, a conveyor for delivering bars one at a time to said first pusher, a first support along which said first pusher moves a bar, a second support onto which said first pusher moves the bar, a second pusher to move the bar along said second support, and means vertically reciprocable to hold the remaining bars on said conveyor after the first one is moved onto said first support.

6. Means for moving bars or the like one at a time from a conveyor to a wrapping mechanism comprising a vertically reciprocable slide block, a second pusher hori zontally movable relative thereto, a first pusher horizontally movable, a first support for a bar from said conveyor, a stop for the rest of the bars on the conveyor, said first support and said stop being vertically movable with said slide block, a second support for a bar received from said first support, said first support in its lower position permitting movement of the bar therefrom and onto said second support upon horizontal movement of said first pusher, said second pusher thereupon engaging the bar for moving it along said second support and then movable downwardly with said slide block to clear the next bar moved onto said second support by said first pusher, cam means for vertically reciprocating said slide block, and means for oppositely reciprocating said first and second pushers.

7. Means for transferring bars or the like one at a time from a conveyor to a wrapping mechanism comprising a vertically reciprocable slide block, a second pusher horizontally movable relative thereto, a first pusher horizontally movable, a first support for a bar received from said conveyor, a stop for the rest of the bars on said conveyor, said first support and said stop being vertically movable with said slide block, and a second support for a bar received from said first support, said first support in its lower position permitting movement of the bar onto said second support upon horizontal movement of said first pusher, said second pusher thereupon engaging the bar for moving it along said second support.

8. Means for transferring bars or the like from a conveyor to a Wrapping mechanism comprising a vertically reciprocable slide block, a second pusher horizontally movable relative thereto, a first pusher horizontally movable, a first support for a bar received from said conveyor, a stop for the rest of the bars on said conveyor, said first support and said stop being vertically movable with said slide block, a second support for a bar from said first support, said first pusher moving said bar from said first support and onto said second support when said slide block is in its lower position, said second pusher there upon engaging the bar for moving it along said second support, and means for oppositely reciprocating said first and second pushers.

9. In a wrapping machine of the character disclosed, a first pusher horizontally reciprocable, a conveyor for delivering bars one at a time to said first pusher, a first support along which said first pusher moves a bar, a second support onto which said first pusher moves the bar, a second pusher to move the bar along said second support, a vertically reciprocable slide block carrying said second pusher, and a hold-baok stop for the bars on said conveyor carried by said slide block.

10. In a wrapping machine of the character disclosed, a first pusher horizontally reciprocable, a conveyor for delivering bars one at a time to said first pusher, a first support along which said first pusher moves a bar, a second support onto which said first pusher moves the bar, a second pusher to move the bar along said second support, a vertically reciprocable slide block carrying said second pusher, a hold-back stop for the bars on said conveyor carried by said slide block, and means for reciprocating said first and second pushers simultaneously in opposite directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

